June 4, 2007 – Last weekend I was admitted to hospital in Girona for the week where I was treated for pneumonia. The good news is that I am now feeling better and I now know why I was struggling with chest pain and lung restriction for most of the spring.

After falling ill just before Paris-Nice in March, I wasn’t able to find my normal level of fitness again as my breathing was constantly labored and I was often short of breath. I had okay days, and bad days on the bike but never great sensations and it became frustrating that I wasn’t able to figure out what was going on even though I had several different medical tests but not the right ones.

I am not yet sure how long it will take me to recover – I will find out more after a check up this week – but I feel fortunate that I am now on the right track to good health.

April 27, 2006 — We checked in with Canadian star roadie Michael Barry (Discovery) to see how he’s progressing since his crash at the Tour of Flanders on April 2.

“It’s been just over three weeks since I crashed at the Tour of Flanders and I am getting close to being ready to get back out on the road again,” said Barry. “For the last two weeks I have been riding the trainer daily and sitting as upright as possible to protect my vertebrae from being further damaged. It feels good to turn my legs and sweat eventhough I can’t get out on my road bike yet.”

Barry added that he has been out riding around on his wife Dede’s city bike, with his son Liam in the bucket seat.

April 15, 2006 – Two weeks ago I crashed heavily at the Tour of Flanders. It was the scariest moment of my life as I was unconscious for approximately forty minutes and woke up in the ER not knowing where I was or what race I had been competing in. Thankfully, the injuries were not as bad as first expected and after spending three days in hospital I was released and able to travel back to the team hotel where I spent the rest of the week. The prognosis is good: I have three compressed vertebrae and aside from some facial wounds didn’t sustain any other injuries so I should be back on the bike within a couple of weeks. I was also very fortunate not to have any side effects from the concussion.

We are now back in Girona and are settled in our apartment here. I am riding the trainer again now-while holding the door frame. I should be back racing again in the early part of the summer.

I would like to thank everybody that sent me kind emails of support. They were much appreciated and made a huge difference in my outlook as I was recovering.